The Latest: California ballot measures reach $458 million

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " The Latest on spending for and against California ballot initiatives (all times local):

4:25 p.m.

Contributions for and against the 17 measures on California's November ballot have reached $458 million, further surpassing previous spending records.

An analysis of reports filed with the secretary of state Thursday shows the total exceeds the state's eight-year-old record by $20 million.

In 2008, $438 million was spent for and against 21 California ballot measures.

With inflation, fundraising in 2008 would be worth at least $490 million today.

The proposals going before California's 18 million registered voters on Nov. 8 put billions of dollars at stake this election.

Pharmaceutical companies on Thursday publicly disclosed $22 million spent against a proposal to cap what the state pays for certain prescriptions. Opponents of Proposition 61 have collectively raised $108 million " at least $40 million more than the next highest-funded ballot campaign this year.

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11:20 a.m.

Contributions for and against the 17 measures on California's November ballot have hit $450 million, breaking previous campaign spending records.

The new spending totals were reflected in campaign finance reports filed Thursday. The total exceeds California's own previous record for spending on proposition campaigns appearing on ballots in a single year, $438 million spent for and against 21 California ballot measures in 2008.

No other state comes close to those amounts.

California is one of few states that empower voters to enact laws affecting the state budget and taxes.

Measures that would limit how much the state's health care program for the poor spends on drugs and to raise cigarette taxes by $2 per pack are among those attracting the most spending.

AP

This story has been automatically published from the Associated Press wire which uses US spellings